Constitution

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution

Anti-Federalists

Opposed to the Constitution

John Dickinson

Wrote Articles of Confederation

James Madison

Father of the Constitution and creator of the VA plan.

Founding Fathers

Men who wrote the Constitution

Bills

Proposed laws

Amendments

Changes to the Constitution

Duties

Taxes on imported goods

Popular sovereignty

Rule by the people

Federalism

Political system where power is divided between national and state governments

Separation of Powers

Government power divided among different branches

Legislative Branch

Made up of two houses of Congress; makes the laws

Executive Branch

Headed by the President; implements and enforces laws passed by Congress

Judicial Branch

System of federal courts; interprets federal laws and renders judgment in cases involving these laws

Checks and Balances

System which prevents one of the branches from becoming too powerful

Veto

Power of Chief Executive (President) to reject laws passed by the Legislative Branch

Impeach

Formally charge a public official with misconduct in office

Sovereignty

Power

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom 1779

Written by Jefferson; creates a wall of separation between church and state

Articles of Confederation 1777

First national constitution of the U.S. which included state sovereignty

Land Ordinance of 1785

Created 640 acre towns at $1 per acre for public education

Northwest Ordinance 1787

Established procedures for admitting new states and prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory

Depression

Severe economic downturn in the economy

Deflation

More goods than money in the economy

Inflation

More money in the economy than goods

Shays’s Rebellion

Revolt by Massachusetts farmers over high taxes and lack of paper money

Mount Vernon Conference 1785

Meeting held by George Washington to discuss problems with the Articles of Confederation, 4 states show - VA, MD, DE, PA

Annapolis Convention 1786

Meeting to address trade issues and call for a new convention, James and Madison call for another convention to revise the A.O.C

Constitutional Convention 1787

Meeting to amend the Articles of Confederation; resulted in the drafting of the Constitution, 55 white male delegates, there was no R.I

Virginia Plan

Proposed a bicameral legislature based on proportional representation

Bicameral

Two-house system in Congress

Proportional Representation

Representation based on population

Equal Representation

Each state has one vote

NJ Plan

Proposed a unicameral legislature based on equal representation

Great Compromise

Established a two-house Congress with both equal and proportional representation

3/5ths Compromise

Every 5 slaves counted as 3 people for representation and taxation

Commercial Compromise

Allowed Congress to regulate commerce and tax imports but not exports

The Federalist Papers

Series of 85 essays written to support the ratification of the Constitution, Written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay.

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution guaranteeing individual rights, written largely by James Madison, adopted in 1791

Federalist

Party favoring a strong national government

Anti-Federalist

Party favoring strong state governments and fearing a strong central government

Samuel Adams

Draws up the Riot Act.

Riot Act

Authorities can jail anyone w/out trial.